


We will have WORDS

by mmouse15



Category: Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-07-28 08:38:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7632943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mmouse15/pseuds/mmouse15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the end of season three, Arcee and Ratchet probably have to have WORDS.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We will have WORDS

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hellkitty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellkitty/gifts).



> For [hellkitty](http://archiveofourown.org/users/hellkitty/profile) and the [Transformers Summer Gift Exchange](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/TFSummerEX/profile). I could not resist your prompt for Arcee and Ratchet. I had forgotten how much fun this show was – I watched some episodes again so I could write this story.

After the cheers of the population died down, Optimus moved forward to speak with Sentinel Prime, acting Magnus. Jazz moves to support Optimus, but is waved off. Bulkhead and Bumblebee shifted to carry the litter between themselves and Jazz, and Ratchet moved back to support Arcee. He carefully guided her toward the main repair facility, following Prowl and his litter bearers. Optimus was left behind as he dealt with their prisoners and Sentinel. Ratchet gave a passing thought to how much Optimus had grown since he'd first met him, then returned his attention to Arcee.

Ratchet strode into the facility and demanded a repair room, sending his credentials to the desk bot, who was flustered but quickly found Ratchet a room that would suit. Ratchet guided Arcee to the berth and began pulling out diagnostic tools.

"Ratchet," Arcee said.

"…why can't they put things were they belong? Why are the leads over here, but the machine over there? These young bots make no sense whatsoever…" Ratchet continued to gather tools.

"Ratchet," Arcee said again, more insistently.

Ratchet stopped what he was doing and set things down, releasing a huge gust of atmosphere at the same time.

"Yes, Arcee?"

"Why?"

"Why, what?" Ratchet asked her.

"What happened to me, and why are you…?" she trailed off, waving a hand at him.

Ratchet vented again and pulled over a stool, settling on it and starting to hook Arcee up.

"I was able to overload the EMP device…you remember that, right?" At Arcee's nod, he continued, "…and I ended up wiping your entire processor. Except for a failsafe, which I triggered when I did open-processor surgery on you, trying to fix what I'd broken. You uploaded all the activation codes to me, and I became Omega Supreme's guardian bot. I…stayed with him, even when Ultra Magnus was going to deactivate him. We spread word that he'd been broken up and deactivated, but we really made him into a repair ship and the Magnus sent us out to the furthest reaches to repair space bridges. Eventually, Optimus was made a prime and given command of the ship, and we ended up on Earth. We ran into Megatron there, and…well, a lot of things happened, but Megatron was able to regenerate his body, collect a small group of Decepticons, and the battles of the Great War continued on Earth. Then one of Megatron's lieutenants figured out how to make clones and use stolen protoforms to activate the clones, and Megatron used that technology to create Omega clones. However, they needed the activation codes, and so they stole you," Ratchet had deftly hooked up a machine to Arcee and was peering at the screen.

Arcee absorbed Ratchet's information, then asked, "What happened to me after we escaped Lockdown?"

Ratchet looked down, "I…was unsuccessful at restoring your processor, and I had guardianship of Omega, so Ultra Magnus had you put in stasis while I was busy."

"How long was I in stasis?" Arcee asked.

"Four million stellar cycles," Ratchet replied.

"Four million…Ratchet!"

"I'm sorry," Ratchet muttered.

"I know that sacrifices have to be made in a time of war, but could no one do anything for me?" Arcee cried.

Ratchet unhooked her and turned away, "I was the one that messed up, Arcee, and I didn't know how to fix it."

"Ratchet, I know you think you're Primus' gift of medbots, but you're not the only one that could have repaired me," Arcee pointed out.

"Perceptor and Wheeljack agreed with me, there was no way to bring you back," Ratchet muttered.

"Well, how did my processor get fixed?" Arcee wanted to know, "Unless, I'm not?"

"No, you're fixed. Sari, our organic friend, is actually a techno-organic, created from one of the protoforms that fell to Earth. She, uh, upgraded herself and in the process, gave herself the ability to talk to machines. Including us, and while we were trying to get Omega away from the Decepticons on Earth's moon, she 'talked' to you and found that you had a backup buried deep in your central core. So we accessed it and reversed the effects of the EMP. Uh, using the EMP to do it."

Arcee rocked back, "That sounds really dangerous, Ratchet."

"Yeah, which is why I wasn't keen on doing it, Arcee. What if I messed it up and did even more damage to you? But Sari was sure, and I've seen the results of her 'talking', so I trusted. At that point, you'd lost enough, and if I messed up again, you would have off-lined. I thought it was a better ending than living forever, but not knowing it."

Arcee wrapped her arms around her torso and shuddered, "Yes, I think you're right. But four million stellar cycles, Ratchet. That's a long time. What will I do? What have I missed?"

Ratchet gently touched one arm, "You were a teacher before the Great War, Arcee, and a good one. Why don't you try that again?"

Arcee shook her head, "I reprogramed myself for the War. I don't think any of that ability is still there."

Ratchet laughed at that, "Arcee, your fugue state was teacher. Any time any bot tried to help you, you started teaching them. Believe me, that ability is still there, and I think you'd still be a great teacher."

Arcee vented, and peeked up at Ratchet, "Thank you, Ratchet. I'll think about what you've said. However, I'm still mad at you."

"Fair enough. I'd be mad at me, too. I am truly sorry, Arcee. I messed up and I let others make excuses to keep me away," Ratchet said.

Arcee simply nodded and lay back, finally letting Ratchet run the entire suite of diagnostics. When they were done, a member of the Elite Guard was waiting to escort them, Arcee to a berth to rest, and Ratchet to meet with Perceptor and go over Arcee's medical chart.

As they worked, Ratchet thought about how he didn't deserve Arcee's kindness to him, and he thought about making something for her. When Perceptor and his cadre had finished marveling over Arcee's restoration, Ratchet excused himself to find a shop.

Once credits had exchanged hands, Ratchet set to work. He lost himself in the soothing work of crafting something he hoped Arcee would like. When he was done, he headed to his own recharge.

The next solar cycle, Ratchet went to find Arcee. When he finally did, she was with Perceptor, downloading an account of what had happened from her point of view. He waited until she was finished, then offered her his craftings.

"What are these, Ratchet?" Arcee wanted to know, turning the metal tubes over.

"They were supposed to be pointers, to help you teach, but, um, I got carried away," Ratchet replied.

Arcee grasped the handles and laughed.

"Laser swords, Ratchet? I love them!"

_The End_


End file.
